Envelop-machine.



6 H M P.

w EE Patented Jan. 8,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- James E flew;

APPLICATION FILED OCT- 7,1913. 1,252,968.

J. E. TREVOR. ENVELOP MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 7, 1913. 1 Q5Q,9@8, Patentefi Jan.8,1918.

, 2 SHEETS-SHEET Z- "-..of the machine. apt for the last fold or the fold known as i'I'ES E. TREVORfOF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO UNITED STATES ENVELOPE COMPANY, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, A

CORPORATION OF MAINE.

ENVELOP-MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it kno that 1, JAMES E. TREVOR, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented new and useful Improvements in Envelop -Machines, of which the following is a specifica tion. j j

This invention relates to an improvement in envelop machines and more particularly to improvements in rotary envelop machines, so-called, as distinguished from plunger envelop machines. The invention relates particularly to mechanism for maklng the last fold or the folding down of the seal flap of the envelop together with mechanism for transporting the envelop from the folding mechanism to thedrying chain and for taking the envelop from the drying cham after the um on the sealflap is dry.

T e object of the invention is to provide a mechanism for receiving an envelop formed except for the fold known as the seal flap and positively bringing the envelo to the exact osition for sfo ding said ap. Another 0b]eCt of the invention is to provide mechanism for transporting the formed envelop fromthe last fold folding mechanism to the drying chain for drying the gum on the seal flap in combination with means to prevent the envelops from interfermg one with another as they enter the chain. Another object of the invention is to provide a delivery mechanism to take the envelops from the drying chain in an improved and positive manner. I

With these objects in view the 1nvent1on is shown in one preferred embodiment there of in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 shows a rear elevation of a portion of an envelop machine embodying the invention only so much being shown as is necessary to an understanding thereof;

Fig. 2 is a side sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1; and

Fi 3 is a diagrammatic view of one way in w ich the nippers of the transporting device may operate.

In the drawings, A represents the frame The envelops, formed exe seal flap, are delivered from the part of 3 machine not shown around a roll mount- Speclflcatlon of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 7, 1913.

Patented Jan, 8, 918.

Serial No. 798,852.

known by those skilled in the art and does I not concern the present invention in such a way as to make an explanation of that part of the machine necessary.

As the envelop is delivered from the rolls, it falls downwardly on to the belt 7. This belt passes around guide rolls mounted on the shafts b, g, and e, as shown in Fig. 2, and is operated from shaft e. The width of the belt is proportioned to the surface of the enve op which comes in contact therewith in such a way that the frictional engagement of the belt with the envelop will be suflicient to move the latter into the exact folding position in a positive manner. When the envelop is delivered on to the belt, the only thing that remains in forming the envelop is to fold over the seal flap 14. In order to hold the envelop for the folding operation, a brass-plate h is provided which is mounted to oscillate on the shaft g, being mounted on the latter by means of a pair of ears, as shown in Fig. 2. The shaft 9 is rocked by a link motion 5 operated from a suitable cam (not shown) connected with a power shaft. When the envelop is delivered. on to the belt, plate It has been moved in a clockwise direction, as shown in dotted lines, in order to form together with the surface of the belt 7 an open mouth to receive the envelop. At

the upper end of the plate h, there is a fold-.

ing blade is. When the envelop'has been received by the belt f and drawn downwardly, the plate It is swung in a counter-clockwise direction so that it lies parallel to the u per portion of the belt and the lower edge 0 the envelop abuts a stop 25 under the plate 71. to position it. The folding blade is presses the envelop against the stationary plate 13 along which the roll at travels. This roll d is mounted on a short arm extending from the outer end of the arm 0 and the arm is provided with a spring, not shown, tending to press it toward the arm 0, the latter movement being prevented by the stationary plate 13 and the folding blade k. The shaft 15 is rocked at the proper time by a cam, not

shown, connected with any suitable power shaft of the main-frame. This movement is the dotted line position to again form an open mouth with the belt f.- During this swinging movement, the transporting nippers 9, which are carried on a link p, grasp the edges of the envelop, as'shown in Fig. 1. The belt f and the plate h are made narrow enough to allow the nippers to take hold of any size envelop which the machine may be making. These nippers are arranged to close on the envelop and transport it from the folding mechanism to the drying chain.

The operation of transferring nippers of the class indicated in Figs. 1 and 2 is wellknown by those skilled in the art. It is not thought necessary to show them in full detail in said figures. In Fig. 3 a diagrammatic showing of a simple nipper mechanism is shown which could be used if desired. The nippers 9 are each pivoted on a relatively stationary angle piece 32, and each nipper comprises a bell-crank lever one arm of which operates to bind the envelop against the part 32 and the other to act as a stop-arm as shown. A leaf-spring 31 on part 32 bears against a part of the nipper extending rearwardly from its pivot and acts to hold the nipper into either one of its two positions to which it may be moved in an obvious manner. It will be understood that all these parts may be carried by the link 70 in Fig, 2. When the link p moves in position forthe nippers to grasp the en- 'velop, the arms of the two nippers are pushed against stationary pins 34 to throw the nippers from open position to closed position. The springs 31 hearing against the projections of the nippers as they pass across centers will act to snag and hold them in the desired position. imilarly when the link 1) moves in position for the nippers to open and'release the envelop, the other arms of the nippers are pushed against pins 33 and the nippers are sprung open. This is one of the well-known nipper constructions which may be used as well as others.

The drying chain, a portion only of which is shown, is mounted on the frame A to travel vertically, the lower end of its travel passing around a suitable sprocket on the shaft 8. When the carrying fingers v pass around the sprocket, they are opened in a well-known'manner, as shown in Fig. 2, and the envelop is inserted one on each carrying finger just before it closes with relation to the one preceding it. In order to transport the envelop from. the folding mechanism to the carrying fingers, the following mecha nism is provided. An arm 9 is keyed to the shaft 1 mounted in the main-frame and is pivoted to the upper end of the link 2 as shown in Fig. 2. A second arm 0 is ,pivoted on the outer end of the bracket 16 and is pivoted to the lower end of the link 9 The shaft n is oscillated by means of a link motion 'm which is operated by a crank mounted on the shaft e as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

This oscillation of the shaft n moves the links 0', g, and p from the full line position to the dotted line positions, the upper one be ing the delivery position for the transporting mechanism. The nippers 9 are designed to release the envelops when in the delivery position. The links 0, g, and p can then move to the full line position again. During the transportation of the envelop from the folding mechanism to the drying chain, the seal flap 14 is apt to open, and, to. prevent this, an arm 10 is provided which rocks with shaft 92. Its purpose is clearly shown in the dotted line position shown in Fig, 2. As the envelop is released by the nippers one of the carrying fingers '0 moves under the envelop and carries it upwardly. The driving chain is operated in a step by step manner each step taking place while an envelop is being delivered to the closing carrying finger.

These carrying fingers are each designed to carry any length envelop within a certain range and where long envelops are being made the ends of the envelop last placed in the chain are liable to sag downwardly in such a manner that the followin envelop being delivered to the following nger will strike the edges of the sagging envelop and interfere with the proper'transporting operation. In order to prevent this interference, two arms u are mounted on the shaft t, the arms it being so distanced on the shaft t that, if the latter is turned clockwise, they 'will come up under the ends of the envelop and bend them upwardly to prevent sagging. This shaft 25 is operated by means of a cam r mounted on the shaft 12, having a link connection s, with the shaft t, as shown. The operations of the arms u are timed with respect to the feeding operations so that, when an envelop is being delivered the arms will be in the position s own in full lines in Fig. 2, and after the envelop has been delivered, they will move to the dotted line position shown in said figure. This insures a properfeed operation without interference due to long envelops. I

When the envelops have traveled around the drying chain so that the um on the seal flap has'been properly drie they are delivered by the followlng mechanism. The

.w ithout removing masses outer edges of the envelop extending beyond transporting fingers late 3 I (supported by a bracket from the rame). A pusher 00 (see Fig. 1) is operated by any suitable mechanism connecte with a power shaft of the main frame to engage one end of the envelop and push it from its position on the plate 3 in the drying chain into an oscillating discharge device B,

pivoted at point 1. Th1s device is oscillated from the full line position to the dotted line position by the link 2 which is connected to any suitable cam on one of the power shafts. In the dotted line position the envelop enters between suitably distanced guide-plates 4: and y. The forward end of the upper guide plate y, as seen in Fig. 1, is bent upwardly to provide a ready entrance for the envelop. After the envelop has been received by the discharge device B, the latter is oscillated to the full line position shown in Fig. 1 and a reciprocating discharge plate 12 having a hook 11 on the upper end thereof moves into position so that the hook lies back of the upper edge of the envelop and the discharge plate 12 is then moved downwardly so that the hook 11 will move the envelop from the discharge device B toward the counting mechanism not shown. On account of the very rapid operation of a machine of this character, the hook 11 is liable to operate the envelop from the discharge device. In order to prevent this, I provide special means for holding the envelop in such a position that the hook 11 will invariably engage the upper edge of the envelop to remove it from the discharge device. This mechanism comprises a shaft 5 (see Fig. 2) on which are mounted two radial fingers 6 and 7, which are angularly positioned with respect to one another held by spring 27 in position shown in Fig. 2. The shaft 5 is mounted in a bracket fastened to the discharge device B, and, when the latter is moved from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the full line position shown in Fig. 1, the finger 6 will engage the stationary rod 17 which will cause the shaft 5 to turn and the holding finger 7 to be moved against the envelop, as shown in Fig. 1. The finger 7 then presses against the envelop a short distance from the upper edge thereof, and, with the envelop held in this fashion, the hook 11,- which slides upwardly along the lower surface of the envelop after it passes by the finger 7 ,-will press the edge of the envelop upwardly, but the instant the hook 11 has reached the full line position shown the edge of the envelop will immediately spring into position (due to its own resiliency) to be engaged by hook 11 in the discharge operation.

It is not absolutely necessary to rock the device B as described for it can remain in full line position shown. In this case, the

'0 come to rest upon envelops would fall one by oneintc the open mouth formed by guides y and 4. The hold;

erated by any ing finger 7 will then be 0 suitable operating means rat means described.

Referring to the last fold mechanism, in order to prevent any springing back of the envelop after striking stop 25, spring 26 is provided, which on the closing down of plate h will rest lightly against the envelop.

Having described my invention in one preferred embodiment thereof for the purposes of illustration, what I claim is 2- 1. In an envelop machine, the combination of mechanism for receiving the envelop formed except for the seal flap, comprising, a conveying means mounted to travel in the machine having a surface proportioned for effective frictional engagement with the envelop, a stop, said means being arranged to frict-ionally engage the envelop to move it into exact folding position against the stop, and a folding mechanism to fold over the seal flap as the envelop is held against the stop, a drying chain for drying the gum on the seal flap, transferring mechanism arranged to transfer the completely folded envelop from said means to the drying chain, together with intermittently operable lifting fingers to raise the outer ends of each envelop in the drying chain during the insertion of the following envelop therein.

2. In an envelop machine, the combination of mechanism for receiving the envelop formed except for the seal flap, comprising, a conveying means mounted to travel in the machine and having a surface proportioned for effective frictional engagement with the envelop, a stop, said means being arranged to frictionally engage the envelop to move it in exact osition against the stop, and a folding mec anism to fold over the seal flap as the envelop is held against the stop, a drying chain or drying the gum on the seal flap, transferring mechanism arranged to transfer the completely folded envelop from said means to the drying chain together with intermittently operable lifting fingers to raise the outer ends of each envelop in the drying chain during the insertion of the following envelop into the drying chain, and mechanism for transferring the envelops from the drying chain.

3. In an envelop machine, the combination of mechanism for receiving the envelop formed except for the seal flap, comprising, a conveying means mountedto travel in the machine and having a surface proportioned for effective frictional engagement with the envelop, a stop, said means adapted to frictionally engage the envelop to move it into position against the stop and constructed and arranged so that the envelop may be straightened by the continued frictional engagement of said means with the envelop er than by the after the latter engages the stop, and a foldmachine having a surface proportioned for ing mechanism to fold over the seal flap as effective frictional engagement with the enthe envelop is held against the stop. velop, a stop against which said means isnn an envelop machine, the combinaadapted to straighten the envelop, a drying tion of mechanism for receiving the envelop chain for drying the gum on the seal flap, formed except for the seal fla comprising transferring mechanism arranged to transa conveying means, a stop mem er arranged fer the completely folded envelop from the to limit the movement of the envelop on the conveying means to the'drying chain.

means, the surface of said means being pro- 7. In an envelop machlne, the combinaportioned for effective frictional engagetion of mechanism for receiving the envelop mentwith the envelop, said surface being formed except for'the seal flap comprising, adapted to engage an envelop to straighten conveying and folding means, a drying chain it to exact folding position against the stop, for drying the gum on the seal flap, transand an oscillatable plate adapted to lie parferring mechanism arranged to transfer the allel to the conveying means and hold the folded envelop from said means to the dr envelop in folding position after said ing chain, together with means to hold the straightening. seal flap from opening during its transfer 5. In an envelop machine, the combination from the folding mechanism to the chain.

of mechanism for receiving the envelop 8. In an envelop machine, the combination formed except for the seal flap, comprising, of mechanism for folding the seal flap after aconveymg means, means cooperating therethe gum has been applied, a drying chain with for folding the seal fiap, a vertically for drying the gum on the seal flap, means arranged drying chain for drying the gum to transfer the envelops from the folding on the seal flap, a deviceto transfer the mechanism to the chain, mechanism to preenvelops from the said means to the chain, vent the interference of the last envelop in mechanism to revent the sagging of the the drying chain as the following one is inlast envelop in the drying chain as the folserted, and means to remove the envelops lowing one is inserted, and means to remove from the chain. the envelops from the chain.

In an envelop machine, the combina- I tion of mechanism for folding the seal flap Witnesses: after the gum has been applied, comprising, HARRY M. BOWEN,

a conveying means mounted to travel in the H. E, HARTWELL.

JAMES E. TREVOR. 

